The Trump Administration’s zero tolerance policy struck a nerve for many Americans, who shuddered at countless stories of families separated, children ripped from their mothers, and people kept like animals in detention centers. Some however, felt a jolt of personal panic at the prospect of a child being taken away in a new country, with little to no information on their whereabouts. These empathic people are mothers, and some, feeling the pressing need for action, found a way to help.
Julie Schwietert Collazo launched a crowdfunding campaign on behalf of one mother detained in Arizona, Yeni González. A Guatemalan migrant, González was being held on $7,500 bond, while her three children lived out of a foster home across the country in New York. Thinking quickly, Collazo realized that with enough support she could, at the very least, reunite this mother with her children. The goal of $7,500 to cover the bond was quickly exceeded, and the group has raised more than $300,000 to help reunite mothers with their children.
The women, once they are released, are driven across the country to wherever their children have ended up. This is where things get sticky however, because while the group, now called Immigrant Families Together, has accounted for things like traveling to reunite families and even some funds for sustenance post-release, there is no real plan for what families are to do once they are reunited. Many mothers are still unable to get custody of their children, and if they can, it is often difficult to find resources needed to survive in a new place. This is an issue that some might rightfully bring up when discussing this method for combatting Trump’s immigration policies. However, the crowdfunding for organizations such as this one is extensive and the issue is being addressed as quickly as possible. The motivation for these women lies in the empathy for mothers who have had their children ripped away, and this fact is what takes center stage. One member of this group, Sara Farrington, speaks to this sentiment. “I think it comes back to empathy… To the gut punch of a mom separated from her 5-year-old. The reason that this has exploded, I truly think, is that moms have put themselves in that situation. It has hit a primitive motherly nerve. I think it all stems from, ‘What if it were me?’”
The group has covered the bonds of several women, and continues to raise money to help these families survive once they are reunited. You can donate and read updates on the group’s website, https://immigrantfamiliestogether.com/moms-you-can-help
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